Madhya Pradesh: Union mins review prep for cheetahs’ arrival

According to the plan, five male and three female cheetahs will arrive from Namibia to Kuno National Park on September 17 and Prime Minister Modi will release them in specially built enclosures the same day.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union minister of environment, forests and climate change Bhupendra Yadav and Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar visited Kuno National Park on Sunday to review the area where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit and reintroduce the cheetahs.

CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan with Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Narendra Singh Tomar. (Agencies)

According to the plan, five male and three female cheetahs will arrive from Namibia to Kuno National Park on September 17 and Prime Minister Modi will release them in specially built enclosures the same day.

“The cheetahs will be flown from Windhoek and reach Jaipur, from where, they will be flown to Palpur, where four helipads have been constructed. Two are for cheetahs and two are for the Prime Minister and other VIPs,” the minister said.

PM Modi will release the cheetahs into the national park on his birthday under the central government’s Cheetah Translocation Project, Yadav said.

Yadav said that for putting the cheetahs in quarantine, two 6,000 square feet enclosures have been developed where the wild animals will be kept for a month.

“After receiving cheetahs from Namibia, 12 more will come from South Africa. We will soon sign a pact with South Africa. The project will go on for next five years,” he said.

Yadav appreciated chief minister Chouhan for working with the Centre to complete this project.

“The scientist from African countries got full support from Madhya Pradesh government to conduct investigations and select best place for reintroduction of the cheetahs,” he added.

On Saturday, chief minister Chouhan had visited the park to review the preparations. During a programme, the CM also announced that 24 villages will be developed as revenue villages and a skill development centre will be started in Kuno to provide employment and promote tourism industry.

Chouhan said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming to Kuno National Park to give the gift of cheetahs will be a historic occasion for us. Kuno National Park will make its mark at the international level. Kuno will be known for cheetahs now.”

“The cheetahs will change the fortune of the area as they will increase tourism and bring employment opportunities for locals,” he added.

National Tiger Conservation Authority member secretary SP Yadav said, “The team of scientists will take care of cheetahs in Kuno. We are happy that we are finally bringing the cheetahs to India.”

For reintroduction of cheetah, a first-of-kind veterinary hospital will be constructed. The hospital will have all the facilities to treat wild animals and will help us in setting up Kuno as breeding centre, said a state official, who didn’t wish to be named.